Round Rock City Council Meeting, September 26, 2024: Economic Plan, Sports Update, and Ordinances
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Round Rock City Council Meeting – September 26, 2024
The City Council met on Thursday, September 26, 2024 at 6:00 PM in the City Council Chambers. The meeting featured updates on the Chamber’s five-year economic development strategic plan and the Sports Management and Tourism department, followed by a consent agenda, numerous resolutions, and two ordinances. All actions were approved unanimously.
Consent Calendar
- F.1 – Authorized an agreement with Firetrol Protection Systems, Inc. for fire suppression and alarm system repair, maintenance, inspection, and installation services. Approved unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public spoke during Citizen Communication.
Discussion Items
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E.1 – Economic Development Strategic Plan Update
- Barry Matherly of Hickey Global presented early findings from stakeholder interviews and a community survey. Key priorities identified: recruiting companies, workforce/education, quality of life, maximizing limited land, entrepreneurship, and infrastructure. The community sees itself as having a strong business environment, excellent schools, and high quality of life. Long‑term vision (5–7 years) is to become a major regional hub. The consulting team also presented industry cluster analysis, noting that Round Rock has a rare concentration of growing industries (both traded and local). Discussions included water supply concerns linked to large industrial users, the impact of data centers on power and water resources, and innovative land‑control strategies (e.g., exclusive options). The final report is expected in the next few weeks.
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E.2 – Sports Management and Tourism Department Update
- Director Chad reported on the past year’s activities: 3,600 participants in local sports programs, 63 weekend tournaments at the Sports Center, 60 weekend events at the Multi‑Purpose Complex, and a total economic impact of $558.7 million in travel spending, 5,300 jobs, and $22.1 million in tax revenue. Construction updates were provided for the Dell Diamond visitors clubhouse, the new visitor center (Griffith building), the Sports Center expansion (parking nearly complete, pier drilling underway), the Multi‑Purpose Complex (pre‑construction, groundbreaking late 2025/early 2026), and Forest Creek Golf Course (greens recovery after algal issues, new equipment improving fairways). Councilmember Montgomery asked about potential exit surveys for tournament visitors to gauge hotel and restaurant quality; staff agreed to explore the idea.
Key Outcomes
- G.1 – Approved a three‑year extension (not to exceed $1,299,000) with Arsenal Advertising, LLC for communication and marketing services supporting the Go Round Rock and Sports Capital Texas brands. (Unanimous)
- G.2 – Approved an amended cooperative agreement with the Williamson County and Cities Health District to align budget cycles. (Unanimous)
- G.3 – Approved the fifth Meet and Confer Agreement with the Round Rock Officers Association, effective through September 30, 2027, including market‑driven pay adjustments and increased sick‑time payouts for longevity. (Unanimous; officer Ashley Daly expressed gratitude on behalf of the association.)
- G.4 – Nominated Laura Weber for reappointment to the Williamson Central Appraisal District Board of Directors. (Unanimous)
- G.5 – Approved a contract with GGA Christmas LLC for holiday décor and lighting (not to exceed $900,000), with the 2024 layout similar to last year. (Unanimous)
- G.6 – Approved an amended Interlocal Agreement for the Austin Regional Intelligence Center (ARIC) to streamline new agency admissions by giving authority to the executive board. (Unanimous)
- G.7 – Approved a first amendment to the Old Settlers Park Buildout Project construction manager agreement to authorize pre‑work for long‑lead items (e.g., glass for the new recreation center and multi‑purpose complex). (Unanimous)
- G.8 – Approved a $3 million standard trades contract with Musco Sports Lighting, LLC for sports lighting products and installation at Old Settlers Park. (Unanimous)
- G.9 – Ratified the Round Rock Transportation and Economic Development Corporation’s amendment to the Transportation Capital Improvement Program, allocating $29.5 million for three projects: Red Bud Lane North, Old Settlers Boulevard, and Wyoming Springs. (Unanimous)
- G.10 – Authorized the use of eminent domain to acquire a 0.0460‑acre fee simple parcel from MS Realty Holdings, LLC for the North Mays Gap project. (Unanimous; the required state language was read.)
- G.11 – Approved a $25,917,630.47 contract with Capital Excavation Company for the Wyoming Springs Segment 1 project (Sam Bass to Creekbend Boulevard). (Unanimous; discussion noted the company’s good reputation and experience.)
- G.12 – Approved an amendment to the subrecipient agreement with Williamson County for the Regional Water Supply Segment A project, allowing flexibility to use $2.9 million in federal ARPA funds for a waterline extension or land purchase for a pump station and storage tank. (Unanimous)
- G.13 – Approved Change Order No. 4 ($162,000) with Austin Underground, Inc. for the Lake Creek Wastewater Line Replacement Project, covering additional work required by Union Pacific Railroad to bore under the tracks. (Unanimous)
- G.14 – Approved rate increases for residential and commercial refuse collection (3% CPI adjustment) and a change to bulk pickup: effective November 1, 2024, residential monthly rates rise from $23.08 to $23.67; starting January 1, 2025, bulk pickup will be on‑call (one free 5‑cubic‑yard pickup per year per address) rather than four scheduled Saturdays in April. Staff and Republic Services representatives discussed education efforts and monitoring. (Unanimous)
- H.1 – Approved on first reading an ordinance amending Chapter 32 to implement the new garbage rates. (Unanimous; second reading required.)
- H.2 – Approved on first reading an ordinance consolidating the Transportation Department and the Utilities and Environmental Services Department into a single Public Works Department. The second reading was dispensed with by unanimous vote. (Unanimous)
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. Tonight's invitation will be given by Pastor PJ Condit of Community Christian Church. Pastor, thank you for what you do in our community. Keep on fishing. All right. Thank you very much for the uh opportunity to pray with you, the uh elected uh government that uh you represent of our citizens. It's the envy and the hope of a lot of the world. So let's pray. A gracious God, we thank you today for the the gift of life, uh, the goodness, the sweetness of friendship and family. Lord, we thank you for the peace and prosperity in our in our homes and our land here. Father, I thank you for these elected officials who uh represent us, uh, who serve us and uh take care of uh of business uh for us. So Lord, tonight we ask that you would do the things that we cannot do. Uh Father, that you would increase the peace in our land, that you would increase the prosperity here uh at home, that you would keep our first responders safe, keep our schools safe, our kids safe as they ride the bus, Lord, each and every day. Uh just ask your peace on prosperity to increase here at home, Lord, that we would take advantage of this opportunity uh to the best uh opportunity that we have available. Uh recognize the dignity of each and every person, everyone that you've created, and Lord, to treat them uh with great regard. We ask this together in Christ's name. Amen. Amen. Thanks. Thank you, Pastor. I'll call the six o'clock. City Councilman or Ann Please call the role. Mayor Morgan. Here, Mayor Protam Stevens. Councilmember Lee? Here, Councilmember Flores? Here, Councilmember Fleming. Here, Councilmember Ortega? Here, Councilmember Montgomery. Here you'll stand with me for the pledges. Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to the Texas state, under God, one individual. All right, citizen communication, any citizen wishes to speak during citizens in communication regarding item on or off the agenda, may do so after completing the required registration card. All comments must be no more than three minutes and linked per section two-26B5 of the Round Rock Code of Ordinances 2018 edition. Any comments, great items not on the post gym may not be discussed or responded to by the city council for state law. No cards. Anyone wishing to speak? Seeing none. Staff presentations. E1. Consider a presentation update on the status of the Round Rock Chamber's five-year economic development strategic plan. Jordan. All right. Good evening, Mayor and Council. So just as a reminder, uh back in June, you all approved uh through funding through our Tite B Corporation. Um approved funding for us to go out and execute a new uh five-year economic development strategic plan. So this plan is going to really guide our economic development activity of work uh for the next three to five years. And again, as a reminder, uh, the process how we got to where we are today as we went out uh through a national uh RFP process and selected uh the best firm that we thought uh would do the best job for this community, and that firm is Hickey Global. Um they were here in July, met with um most, if not all of you, um, and so thank you all for your input. But they also met with members of the community um and really all of our uh stakeholders to collect feedback.
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